Corporate Catering Cost per Person: 8 Bay Area Packages
What corporate catering costs per person in the Bay Area, by service style: buffet, boxed lunch, live-cooking stations and plated dinner, from 8 live EIM listings.
TL;DR
Corporate catering in the Bay Area costs $29.00/person to $180.00/person across the 8 per-person EIM catering listings below, for groups from 10 to 500 guests. Grazing tables, buffets, a live-cooking paella station and boxed lunches fall between $29.00/person and $65.00/person; the two plated dinners are $125.00/person and $180.00/person.
- Lowest price: a Berkeley grazing table at $29.00/person for 10 to 300 guests.
- Staffed team lunch: plant based bowls from San Rafael at $36.25/person, from 10 guests.
- Meetings and trainings: individually packed meals from East Palo Alto at $49.95/person, 50 to 200 guests.
- Company party for up to 500: the Campbell fusion buffet at $55.00/person or San Jose BBQ at $65.00/person.
- Client or executive dinner: plated service at $125.00/person (10 to 300) or $180.00/person (50 to 200).
Last updated: October 2026
Every caterer in this guide is a current Events in Minutes listing.
What does corporate catering cost per person in the Bay Area?
Across the 8 per-person listings compared here, Bay Area corporate catering runs $29.00/person to $180.00/person. The typical (median) price sits between $55.00/person (Campbell casual buffet) and $65.00/person (the paella buffet and San Jose BBQ), the midpoint of the two middle prices. Six of the eight cost $65.00/person or less. To see every menu and minimum, browse catering in San Francisco or all Bay Area catering services on EIM.
How much more is plated than buffet catering?
In this set, plated service costs $20.00 to $130.05 more per person than a buffet or boxed meal from the same kitchen. Two caterers list both styles:
- Campbell fusion kitchen: four tiers on EIM, casual buffet at $55.00/person, full buffet at $75.00/person, plated or family style at $95.00/person, and plated composed courses at $125.00/person (the $75.00/person and $95.00/person tiers are separate Campbell listings on the EIM catering page, from the same host as the two Campbell cards below). Plated or family style costs $40.00 more per guest than the casual buffet and $20.00 more than the full buffet; composed courses cost $70.00 more than the casual buffet.
- East Palo Alto caterer: boxed meals at $49.95/person, seated dinner at $180.00/person, a $130.05 premium per guest.
For 100 guests, as an example estimate before tax, fees and gratuity: 100 x $55.00 = $5,500.00 for the Campbell casual buffet, 100 x $95.00 = $9,500.00 for its plated or family style tier, and 100 x $125.00 = $12,500.00 for its composed-course tier. This guide compares prices; for how each service style changes speed, staffing and flow at a seated event, see buffet vs plated catering for a corporate dinner.
What are the minimum guest counts for corporate catering?
Five of the 8 listings accept groups from 10 guests: the grazing table, the plant based bowls, the Campbell casual buffet, the San Jose BBQ and the Campbell plated dinner. The paella buffet starts at 30 guests, and both East Palo Alto listings start at 50, a minimum spend of 50 x $49.95 = $2,497.50 for the boxed meals (example estimate before tax, fees and gratuity).
Eight Bay Area corporate catering packages, from $29.00/person to $180.00/person
Eight packages from six caterers, lowest price first. All eight travel to your office or venue.
Grazing Table Catering with Artisan Boards for Celebrations
A Berkeley studio builds a grazing table on your own table at the venue: artisan cheeses, cured charcuterie, seasonal fruit, crackers and food-safe florals. Best for a client reception, open house or afternoon mixer. Watch-out: the spread is boards and fruit, so if it replaces lunch for a hungry team, add a hot dish.
Book nowStaffed Plant Based Bowl Catering with Setup and Breakdown
A San Rafael kitchen serves plant based bowls and composed salads from a staffed buffet line; the crew builds the line, replenishes trays and breaks down afterwards. Best for a team lunch with vegan or plant based eaters, from 10 guests. Watch-out: the whole menu is vegan, which suits some offices better than others.
Book nowIndividually Portioned Catering for Meetings and Events
Individually packed and labeled meals from an East Palo Alto team that says it has catered since 1992, with delivery and setup included. Inclusions list vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options and liability insurance. Best for trainings and all-hands lunches. Watch-out: the minimum is 50 guests, so a 20-person meeting does not qualify; an 80-person training is 80 x $49.95 = $3,996.00 before tax, fees and gratuity.
Book nowCasual Buffet Dinner Catering with Fusion Street Flavors
A Campbell kitchen that also runs food trucks brings a Latin American and Asian fusion buffet and sets up the line so guests serve themselves. Best for a casual team dinner or a large company party. Watch-out: it is self-serve, so ask whether staff stay to replenish.
Book nowLive Cooking Spanish Paella Buffet with Tapas Sangria and Servers
A chef cooks saffron rice on site in large Spanish pans, with tapas and a server team. Inclusions list chef and servers, infused water, liability insurance, and setup, breakdown and cleanup; sangria, a bartender and other drinks are add-ons. Best for a holiday party or company celebration. Watch-out: the minimum is 30 guests, and the cooking station needs a flat, open-air spot.
Book nowCraft BBQ Catering with Smoked Meats and Carving Stations
A San Jose pit smokes brisket, spare ribs, pulled pork, beef ribs, chicken and links, with classic sides, as full service catering or drop off delivery. Best for a company picnic or summer party. Watch-out: the listing says per person pricing varies as the format scales, so confirm which service style the $65.00/person rate covers.
Book nowPlated Dinner Catering with Composed Courses and Service
The same Campbell fusion kitchen at its plated tier: every course composed in the kitchen and served to each seat in sequence, with staffing scaled to the room. Best for a client dinner, board dinner or awards night of 10 to 300. Watch-out: it costs $30.00 more per guest than the kitchen's $95.00/person plated or family style tier.
Book nowSeated Dinner Catering with Full Service for Celebrations
A full seated dinner of composed, restaurant-style courses, with service staff to set, serve and clear. Inclusions list kitchen staff and cleanup, vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options, and liability insurance. Best for an executive dinner or company gala of 50 to 200. Watch-out: the 50-guest minimum puts the smallest booking at 50 x $180.00 = $9,000.00 before tax, fees and gratuity.
Book nowCompare corporate catering prices and group sizes
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Activity | Location | Duration | Group | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grazing Table Catering with Artisan Boards for Celebrations | Travels to You | 4 hours | 10–300 guests | $29.00/person |
| Staffed Plant Based Bowl Catering with Setup and Breakdown | Travels to You | 4 hours | 10–200 guests | $36.25/person |
| Individually Portioned Catering for Meetings and Events | Travels to You | 4 hours | 50–200 guests | $49.95/person |
| Casual Buffet Dinner Catering with Fusion Street Flavors | Travels to You | 4 hours | 10–500 guests | $55.00/person |
| Live Cooking Spanish Paella Buffet with Tapas Sangria and Servers | Travels to You | 4 hours | 30–200 guests | $65.00/person |
| Craft BBQ Catering with Smoked Meats and Carving Stations | Travels to You | 4 hours | 10–500 guests | $65.00/person |
| Plated Dinner Catering with Composed Courses and Service | Travels to You | 4 hours | 10–300 guests | $125.00/person |
| Seated Dinner Catering with Full Service for Celebrations | Travels to You | 4 hours | 50–200 guests | $180.00/person |
Are staffing, rentals and gratuity included in catering prices?
Serving staff are described on the plant based bowls, the paella buffet, the Campbell plated dinner and the East Palo Alto seated dinner; the San Jose BBQ offers full service or drop off, and the Campbell casual buffet is set up for self-serve. Rentals and gratuity are the items to confirm.
If your office lacks tables, linens and dinnerware, book event rentals, and budget any tip separately. For venue, AV and food together, see what a corporate event costs in San Francisco.
How does lunch catering compare with dinner?
Each of the 8 listings shows one per-person price rather than separate lunch and dinner rates. So the difference comes from the format you pick, not the time of day. For a lunch, the boxed meals ($49.95/person, 50 guest minimum) or the plant based bowls ($36.25/person) are the lighter formats; for an evening event, the Campbell plated tiers ($95.00/person and $125.00/person) or the East Palo Alto seated dinner ($180.00/person) are the full-service ones.
Planning tips for ordering corporate catering
- Confirm the headcount at booking and again a week before.
- Collect dietary needs with the RSVP.
- Ask your building about loading access and whether it requires a certificate of insurance.
How we chose these caterers
We started from Bay Area EIM catering listings that price per person and fit office, meeting or company-event service, so every range compares one pricing type. We picked 8 that cover buffet, live-cooking stations, boxed and plated service across Berkeley, San Rafael, San Francisco, East Palo Alto, Campbell and San Jose. A private chef sushi buffet was left out. Prices, group sizes, inclusions and cancellation terms were checked against each live listing on October 12, 2026; the listing page is the final word.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the per-person catering price include drinks?
Only one listing here lists a drink among its inclusions. The San Francisco paella buffet includes infused water; sangria, a bartender, Spanish beer, soft drinks and coffee are add-ons, and its listing says alcohol is not included in the per-person price. If your caterer lists no drinks, book bar service separately.
How much does corporate catering cost for 50 people in the Bay Area?
For 50 guests, the 8 listings here come to 50 x $29.00 = $1,450.00 for the Berkeley grazing table up to 50 x $180.00 = $9,000.00 for the East Palo Alto plated dinner. The Campbell casual buffet lands in between at 50 x $55.00 = $2,750.00. All are example estimates before tax, service and gratuity.
Can we order boxed lunches for 40 people?
Not from the boxed listing here: the East Palo Alto individually packed meals start at 50 guests ($49.95/person). For 40 people, the San Rafael staffed plant based bowls at $36.25/person (from 10 guests) come to 40 x $36.25 = $1,450.00, served from a buffet line rather than boxes. Example estimate before tax, fees and gratuity.
Is a boxed lunch cheaper than a buffet?
Not always. The East Palo Alto boxed meals at $49.95/person cost more than the plant based bowls at $36.25/person and less than the Campbell casual buffet at $55.00/person and the paella buffet at $65.00/person. Boxes buy convenience: labeled meals, delivery and no serving line.
Which caterers here carry liability insurance for a corporate venue?
Three listings show insurance among their inclusions: the East Palo Alto boxed lunch and seated dinner (general and liquor liability) and the San Francisco paella buffet (liability insurance). If your building needs a certificate of insurance, request it when you confirm.
How far ahead should I book corporate catering?
As advice, request at least 30 days out, or 6 to 8 weeks for December parties and groups over 100. All 8 listings are request to book, so the caterer confirms your date, and all use a Strict cancellation policy (up to 30 days before), so lock the headcount before that point.